Random play indicator for a game



Oct. 5, 1965 G. M. RAPAPORT RANDOM PLAY INDICATOR FOR A GAME Filed Oct.51. 1962 20% U 9 R% m 2 m4 MK W Mm 4 United States Patent tion ofIllinois Filed Oct. 31, 1962, Ser. No. 234,410 1 Claim. (Cl. 273141) Myinvention relates to a new and useful improvement in a random playindicator for a game and more particularly to a device for use with agame that will indicate the mode of play among the participatingplayers.

An object of my invention is in the provision, in a device of thischaracter, of a means whereby each player of the group of playersengaged in a game of skill may determine his mode of play.

A further object of my invention is in the provision, in a device ofthis character, of a manually actuated, electrically operatedilluminated play indicator.

Other Objects will appear hereinafter.

The invention consists in the novel combination and arrangement of partsto be hereinafter described and claimed.

The invention will be best understood by reference to the accompanyingdrawings showing the preferred form of construction, and in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the play indicator.

FIG. 2 is a side elevational detailed sectional view.

FIG. 3 is a detailed sectional view taken on line 33 of FIG. 2.

In the course of playing many types of games such as, for example, agame where each played is permitted to move a game piece over a gameboard in a predetermined manner, there is required some means or methodof determining the succession and mode of play. To this end, I haveinvented a play indicator illustrated by the accompanying drawings andhereinafter described.

Referring to FIG. 1, I show a box-like housing having a top wall 11 inwhich there is formed a circle of apertures 12. The portion of the topwall 11 within the circle of apertures 12 is divided into coloredsectors 13, 14, 15, and 16. Each of the apertures contained in each ofthe sectors may be assigned a numerical value, either in succession orin a random fashion.

Within the housing 10 I provide a base 17. The opposite end walls 18 and19 of the housing 10 are connected to the base 17 by means of screws 20,as seen in FIG. 1.

Within the housing 10 and supported on the base 17 adjacent the end wall18 is a fixture 21 which contains a pair of dry cell batteries 22. Thesedry cell batteries 22 have suitable electrical connections as at 23 to aplurality of electrical wires.

Mounted on the base 17 is a U-shaped mounting bracket 24, the free endof the opposite arms 25 and 26 of which are provided with oppositelyextending flanges 27 which lie in facial abutment with the base 17 andwhich are connected thereto by means of screws 28 or the like.

Mounted on the arm 26 of the mounting bracket 24 is a push button switch29 of any standard form and construction. The push button switch 29 isprovided with an actuator button 30 which protrudes outwardly of the endwall 19 through an aperture 31 formed therein. This push button switch29 is operatively connected to the dry cell batteries 22 and an electricmotor 32. The electric motor 32 is carried by a support 33 which isfixedly connected by means of a screw 34 to the base 17 adjacent to thearm 26 of the bracket 24.

Positioned between the arms 25 and 26 of the U- shaped bracket 24 is avertically extending rotatable shaft 35. This shaft 35 has one endjournaled into a suitable bearing 36 seated on the base 17. The oppositeend of the shaft 35 is journaled into a suitable bearing 37 carried bythe bight portion 38 of a Uashaped brace 39. The brace 39 is welded tothe underside of the bight portion 40 of the U-shaped bracket 24 as seenin FIG. 2.

Fixedly mounted on the shaft 35, and extending in a horizontal plane isa pulley wheel 41. A drive belt 42 encircles the pulley wheel 41 as wellas a driven shaft 43 of the motor 32. Fixedly mounted upon the shaft 35and rotatable therewith is a disc 44. Radially extending from theperipheral edge of the disc 44 are a plurality of spokes 45. Thediameter of the disc 44, as well as the length of the spokes 45, permitthe same to be rotated with the shaft 35 within the housing 10 andbetween the arms 25 and 26 of the bracket 24, as seen in FIGS. 2 and 3.

Mounted upon the upper plane surface of the disc 44 is a light socket46. Removably mounted on the socket 46 is a conical shaped light shield47 extending upwardly to a point immediately beneath the bight portion40 of the mounting bracket 24. Within the light shield 47 and engaged inthe socket 46 is a suitable light 48. The light shield 47 is sopositioned on the disc 44 that the radius extending from the shaft 35 tothe open free end of the shield 47 is equal to the radii extending fromthe center of the colored sectors to the circumferentially disposedapertures 12 formed in the top of the wall of the housing 10, so thatthe light rays of the light 48 are directed through the light shield 47and out of one of such apertures 12. So as not to obstruct the directedrays of light, the bight portion 40 of the U-shaped mounting bracket 24is provided with apertures 49 which are in alignment with correspondingapertures 12 formed in the top wall 11 of the housing 10, as seen inFIGS. 2 and 3.

Carried beneath the bight portion 38 of the brace 39 radially of theshaft 35 are a pair of insulated blocks 50. These blocks 50 each carry aspring finger 51 which are biased into contact with a bushing 52 carriedby the shaft 35. The opposite ends of the spring fingers 51, by means ofsuitable conduits 53, are connected to a switch 54 which, switch 54, isin turn electrically connected to the electric connectors 23 of thebatteries 22.

The switch 54 is provided with a threaded stud 55 which is projectedthrough an opening 56 formed in the top wall 11 at the center point ofthe colored sectors 13, 14, 15, and 16. Lock nuts 57 and 58 are threadedupon the stud 55 on opposite sides of the top wall 11 so as to fixedlyposition the switch 54 thereto. The switch 54 is provided with anactuator 59 which extends vertically from the top wall 11 of the housing10 as seen in FIGS. 1 and 2.

The light socket 46 carried on the disc 44 has an electrical commutatorconnection with the shaft 35 so that when the switch 54 is actuated thelight 48 is energized.

To assure the positioning of the light shield 47 beneath an aperture 12,I provided a simple indexing means. This indexing means includes aspring lever 60 one end of which by means of a staple 61 is fixedlyconnected to the base 17. The opposite end of the lever 60 is formed toprovide a curved portion 62 which is adapted to sit between successivespokes 45 carried by the disc 44.

When my improved play indicator is employed each player is assigned acolored sector and each aperture in such sector represents a numericalvalue to its player. The first player actuates the switch 54 causingenergization of the light 48. Such player then depresses the plunger 30of the switch 29 causing energization of the motor 32. Upon energizationof the motor 32 and through the driving connection consisting of thepulley wheel 41, the belt rotate. The rotation of the shaft 35 will inturn rotate the disc 44. As the light 48 is carried by the disc 44, itwill be rotated beneath the circumferentially disposed apertures 12formed in the top wall 11 of the housing 10.

Upon deactivating the switch 29 the motor 32 is deenergized and the disc44 will continue to rotate until the indexing lever 60 exerts suflicientrestraint upon the spokes 45 of the disc 44 so as to stop the rotationthereof. At this time the rays of the light 48 will be directed by thelight shield 47 through one of the apertures 12. If one of the apertures12 in the first players colored sector is illuminated by the light raysof the light 48, such player is permitted to advance his game piece adistance equal to the numerical value of the illuminated aperture. Eachof the four players may activate the play indicator successively or in aprogram designated by the game which they are playing.

While I have illustrated and described the preferred form ofconstruction for carrying our invention into effect, this is capable ofvariation and modification without departing from the spirit of theinvention. 1, therefore, do not wish to be limited to the precisedetails of construction set forth, but desire to avail myself of suchvariations and modifications as come within the scope of the appendedclaim.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire toprotect my Letters Patent is:

A random play indicator for a game comprising (a) a hollow housing thetop wall of which has formed therein a circle of apertures with eachaperture representing a mode of play for the game,

(b) a horizontally disposed disc rotatably carried within said housingsupporting an illuminating means for rotation beneath the circle ofapertures formed in the top wall of the housing,

() a vertically extending shaft rotatably carried within said housingfor supporting said disc in a horizontal plane,

((1) said illuminating means including a rotatable light movable beneatheach of the apertures formed in the top wall thereof for successivelyilluminating the same,

(e) a truncated cone-shaped shield carried by said disc over said lightand having one end portion positioned beneath said top wall of saidhousing so as to direct the illumination of the light into each of theaperturesvas said disc'is rotated within said housmg.

(f) a pulley wheel fixedly connected to said shaft and disposed in ahorizontal spaced parallel plane with respect to said disc for rotatingsaid shaft and said disc within said housing,

(g) means for rotating said pulley to effect rotation of said shaft andsaid disc,

(h) a manually controlled switch for continuously operating saidrotating means, and

(i) means for randomly stopping the rotation of said disc when saidswitch is not manually actated to continuously operate said rotatingmeans so as to position said illuminating means beneath an aperture tothereby indicate the mode of play.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 499,150 6/93Simon 240l0.1 1,741,903 12/29 Amend 273-142 1,824,270 9/31 Holzman24010.1 2,754,124 7/56 Finney 273l43 2,809,041 10/57 Nackers 2731423,101,947 8/63 Dzuris 273-138 FOREIGN PATENTS 578,587 8/58 Italy.

RICHARD C. PINKHAM, Primary Examiner.

DELBERT B. LOWE, Examiner.

